Same boat, different views

President Yoon Suk Yeol has frequently cited Free to Choose (1980) by American economist Milton Friedman (1912–2006) as the book that most shaped his values. The work, which champions a revival of classical liberalism, has raised concerns in some quarters that the president may be veering toward a blind faith in free-market absolutism. As the Constitutional Court prepares to deliver its ruling on Yoon’s impeachment trial—a moment that could alter the fate of his presidency and the nation—a quote cited at the very beginning of the book stands out.

“Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficent. People born to freedom are naturally alert to repel the invasion of their liberty by evil-minded rulers. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by people of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding.”

Friedman likely quoted this line to argue that even well-intentioned government policies can produce harmful outcomes if they infringe upon individual liberty. The original author of this passage was U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis (1856–1941), often referred to as “the people’s lawyer.” He wrote those words in 1928, arguing for the protection of privacy rights against government intrusion.

Brandeis argued that the ends—capturing criminals—did not justify the means—illegal wiretapping. If the government becomes lawless, citizens will follow suit, and society may descend into chaos. Whether President Yoon pondered the depth of this quotation is unknown.

This is not about determining whether the Dec. 3 martial law plan was a case of liberty crushed by a malevolent ruler or a misguided act of overzealous governance. The core message is that safeguarding freedom requires not just passion but also a citizenry capable of discernment.

The country stands divided, the public square split between supporters and critics of the president, tensions close to boiling over. Politicians who suggest rejecting an unfavorable Constitutional Court decision have only fanned the flames. Whichever side loses will likely face a collapse of its beliefs. And when people experience that collapse, it often leads to anger, and anger, in turn, to hatred. If enough people surrender to such emotions, the democracy we painstakingly built could unravel in an instant.

This moment calls to mind South Korean author Han Kang’s Nobel Prize speech. She recalled taking shelter from the rain as a child and suddenly realizing, “All these people standing next to me and those across the way were each living their lives as a 'me,' just like I was.” It was, she said, “a stunning moment of experiencing countless first-person perspectives.”

Even if we disagree, we are all aboard the same vessel called the Republic of Korea. We may not fully adopt each other's “first-person perspectives,” but we must at least recognize this: If those who cheer and those who jeer both fight for control of the wheel, the ship may sink, and all will share the loss. No one should try to silence the other by force. Understanding, reason, and empathy are the keys, not just to overcoming conflict but to restoring our society and charting a course toward the future.